Several key indicators of the health of the market for previously owned business jets - average asking prices and inventories - remain solid, despite signs that the U.S. economy may be slowing, says the January edition of JPMorgan's Business Jet Monthly. The financial firm's monthly report noted that business jet prices increased 0.1 percent sequentially and 4.4 percent year over year, and that the number of used jets on the market remained steady at 6.2 percent of the fleet.
I just got my February BCA at work. I stopped what I was doing and read "Another Day, Another Chapter" (Flight Log by John Wiley, February, page 96.) It was great! I hope to see more of his writing in Business & Commercial Aviation in the future. Keep up the good work. I love the magazine.
Fifty years, what an achievement for BCA! It is amazing to note that from the 1958 aircraft cited, only the MS-760 Paris is still alive as a Very Light Jet and offered for shared ownership by Jetset in your 2008 issue.
CAE has agreed to become the managing partner of the Indian government's flight training academy, the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA). CAE also has formalized a joint venture agreement with the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to develop the Rajiv Gandhi National Flying Training Institute (RGNFTI). Both IGRUA and RGNFTI will become members of the CAE Global Academy, which is a worldwide network of flight training organizations that offers standardized training for pilot candidates.
In this business, places that many years ago were visited maybe once a year, or even once a career, are now routine destinations. "We've got one to Kuwait, if you want to go back for old time's sake."
The Grob Aerospace SPn test aircraft No. 3 (D-CSPJ) is wrapping up several weeks of flight testing in Granada, Spain. A team of approximately 20 specialists is supporting the aircraft. The test center at Granada, managed by the INTA Department of Spain's Ministry of Defense, was selected for the trials because of its combination of good flying weather, cooperative agencies and the convenience of remaining within the EU.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. has won FAA certification for its new King Air C90GTi, the latest evolution of the twin-turboprop. The C90GTi is equipped with the fully integrated Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite that also is used on a number of other King Air and Hawker models. In addition to FAA approval, the new model has won certification from Brazilian airworthiness authorities. HBC is seeking C90GTi certification from authorities in Europe, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela and Guatemala.
NATA's newly formed Environmental Committee drew nearly three dozen members from a cross-section of industry. The committee agreed to move forward with a carbon offset program and hopes to have details this month. The committee also wants to establish a set of industry best practices and explore joint partnership possibilities with the Environmental Protection Agency.
Aviation Research Group/U.S. (ARG/US), Cincinnati, has added four employees to its organization. Steve Witowski is the new ASOS program manager; John R. (JR) Neefe is CHEQ program manager; Janine Leddy is Western Region sales manager; and Naveena Tripurana is market research assistant.
Alerion, White Plains, N.Y., announced the addition of five new members to its sales team. Tehmina Jauhas, director of sales; Lisa Hays, director of sales; Clay Moore, director of sales; Ashley Santini, private flight advisor; and Sam Gordon, manager of vendor relations.
The National Air Transportation Association has scheduled its second annual Air Charter Summit for June 9-11. Last years' inaugural Summit drew nearly 300 charter industry executives who heard topics including safety and regulatory issues confronting America's FAR Part 135 community. "The NATA Air Charter Summit has become the event for the Part 135 community to gather and learn the latest developments affecting its industry from top officials within business and the government," NATA President James K. Coyne stated.
Redmond, Wash.-based Tailwind Capital LLC, which since early 2007 has been offering to convert former Bombardier regional airliners into corporate jets, has sold its first CRJ Executive Jet to an undisclosed European buyer. The CRJ-200EJ, which is to be delivered in May, is to be operated both privately and for charter and managed by Solid Air BV of the Netherlands.
Each year, ARG/US safety auditors compile a list of operators that have excelled in one or more of the company's 24 audit parameters based on scores achieved in audits for the year. Below is the list for 2007, divided between operations and maintenance functions.
(Wichita) - Jason Moir has been named Learjet sales director for the central United States. Moir, an eight-year veteran of Bombardier who is based in Wichita, is responsible for the sale of new Learjets in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado.
Early helicopters were often described as egg beaters, or mix masters, for the way they shook their passengers and crew. As technology has advanced over the years, helicopters have become faster and more capable, but there is no getting around the laws of physics -- particularly those that cause helicopters to vibrate. The tools available today can control or minimize vibration, but eliminating the shakes altogether is still years or decades away.
